Minority Counsel Announces Scholarship Winners

WASHINGTON – The Minority Corporate Counsel Association, Inc. (MCCA) has announced its 2010-11 class of Fellows and Scholars under the Lloyd M. Johnson, Jr. Scholarship Program.

The goal of the scholarship program is to promote academic excellence and diversity in law schools by awarding scholarships to newly accepted law students from disadvantaged backgrounds to help defray their educational expenses. The program is open to individuals that will be enrolled full-time in a three-year J.D. program. Once the scholarships are awarded, the program requires each recipient to maintain a G.P.A. of 3.0 or its equivalent each year. Fellows are awarded $10,000 during each of their three years of law school. Scholars receive a one-time award of $10,000. All Fellows and Scholars also receive ongoing professional development support and mentoring.

Funding for the program is provided by corporate and law firm sponsors dedicated to promoting diversity in the legal profession.

Lloyd M. Johnson, Jr. Scholarship Winners for 2010-11 include:

- Microsoft Corporation Fellows: Gueter Aurelien, attending University of Miami School of Law; Jill Mitchell, enrolled at University of Kansas School of Law; and Jason Sanchez, attending University of Texas at Austin School of Law.

- Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Fellow: Donale Evans, attending Thurgood Marshall School of Law, Texas Southern University.

- Arnold & Porter LLP Scholar: TaCara D. Harris, enrolled at Vanderbilt University School of Law.

- Baker & McKenzie LLP Scholar: Brittney Williams, enrolled at UCLA School of Law.

- Bartlit Beck Herman Palenchar & Scott LLP Scholar: Kelsey Eaton, attending University of Arkansas School of Law.

- Boies, Schiller & Flexner LLP Scholar: Chanel Lattimer-Tingan, attending University of Pennsylvania Law School.

- Day Pitney LLP Scholar: Nicholas H. Meza, attending Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, Arizona State University.

- Kilpatrick Stockton LLP Scholar: William H. Hudson, attending Emory University School of Law.

- Nixon Peabody LLP Scholar: Malcolm Wells, attending Fordham University School of Law.

- Robert Half Legal Scholar: Bryan Lee, attending UCLA School of Law.

- Serengeti Law Scholar: Adlah T. Chisti, enrolled at University of California, Hastings College of the Law

- TerpSys Scholar: Atticus S. Lee, enrolled at University of California, Davis School of Law.

- Zelle Hofmann Voelbel & Mason LLP Scholar: Adrienne de la Rosa, attending University of Notre Dame Law School.

Two of the sponsors joined the scholarship program this year: Serengeti Law and Zelle Hofmann Voelbel & Mason LLP.

This year’s class of scholars will be publicly presented at MCCA’s Creating Pathways to Diversity® Conference and Northeast Regional Dinner in New York on November 10.

“During these harsh economic times, many talented minority students struggle to afford law school and may be forced to abandon a career in law,” said Lori Garrett, MCCA Managing Director, Southeast Region, and Scholarship Director. “The Lloyd M. Johnson Scholarship Program allows them to pursue their dreams and help build a more diverse legal community. MCCA is pleased to welcome another distinguished class of Fellows and Scholars to its scholarship program, and thanks the generous sponsors who made it possible.”

The Lloyd M. Johnson, Jr. Scholarship Program was established in 2005 by MCCA and its supporters, corporate legal departments, law firms and legal services providers. The program was named for Lloyd M. Johnson, Jr., a visionary leader in the legal profession and founder of MCCA.

MCCA also acknowledges the many volunteers who served on the 2010 Lloyd M. Johnson, Mr. Scholarship Selection Committee: Sanjay Beri, Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, PLLC; William Cook, Arnold & Porter LLP; Robert Dwyer, Boies Schiller & Flexner LLP; Lori Garrett, MCCA; R. Michael Gibeault, Robert Half Legal; Anthony Greene, Herbert L. Jamison & Co.; Patricia Hatler, Nationwide; Adam Hoeflich, Barlit Beck Herman Palenchar & Scott LLP; Jennifer Ivan, Microsoft Corporation; Lloyd M. Johnson, Jr., Ansun Management Partners; Don Liu, Xerox Corporation; Tywanda Lord, Kilpatrick Stockton LLP; Hinton Lucas, DuPont Company; Floyd Mills, Baker & McKenzie LLP; Kiisha Morrow, Cravath Swaine & Moore LLP; Lynda Murray-Blair, Kilpatrick Stockton LLP; Tony Parsons, Zelle Hofmann Voebel & Mason LLP; Adria Perez, Kilpatrick Stockton LLP; Edgardo Ramos, Day Pitney LLP; Arin Reeves, Nextions LLC; Molly Remes, McGuireWoods LLP; Veta Richardson, MCCA; Mary Snapp, Microsoft Corporation; Jacquelyn Stone, McGuireWoods LLP; Walter Sutton, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.; Connie Swindell-Harding, MCCA; Rob Thomas, Serengeti Law; Kendal Tyre, Nixon Peabody LLP; and Charles A. Volkert, Esq., Robert Half Legal.

The Minority Corporate Counsel Association advocates for the expanded hiring, promotion, and retention of minority attorneys in corporate legal departments and the law firms that serve them. MCCA furthers its mission by publishing research on achieving diversity and best practices in the legal profession, honoring innovative diversity programs with its Employer of Choice and Thomas L. Sager awards, and assisting diverse law students through the Lloyd M. Johnson, Jr. Scholarship Program. MCCA’s work has been recognized with awards from the National Minority Business Council, Inc., the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the National Gay and Lesbian Law Association, and the Association of Corporate Counsel.

Founded in 1997, MCCA is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and also has a Southeast regional office in Atlanta, Ga.